“Functionally obsolete” Oregon State Penitentiary poses health and safety risks to the incarcerated, audit finds

The Oregon State Penitentiary’s aging facility is contributing to potentially life-threatening conditions, an audit by the Oregon Secretary of State found.

The audit, published Wednesday, investigated failing facilities, staffing shortages and obsolete information technology systems that are working to undermine reform efforts in Oregon’s prison system. It found that Oregon’s oldest prison is on a path to become “functionally obsolete” in the near future regardless of maintenance efforts as outdated infrastructure poses health and safety…